One of the things that separates people into who likes the island and who doesn't are the bugs.

Right now that golden period between snow melt and the start of bug season is over. The black flies have arrived in full force. They may be worse then normal this year. Yesterday I was working outside and they were swarming all over me. I had to breath with my teeth tight together to keep from breathing them into my lungs. Oh nature, don't ya just love it!_________________mwhite@wildblue.net
"The more nature you keep, the more nature you'll enjoy." and "It's not who is right, but what is right."

I'm trying to picture you with black specks on your teeth! I almost inhaled one yesterday.. Yep, those little buggers can be maddening! This time of year I'm still in long sleeves and socks, I don't care how hot it is.. 100% deet sprayed on a bandana and tied around my neck is a great defense while I do my gardening..

Ever get one in your ear or up your nose? Now thats special! They won't come out, either.

They will be around as long as there is rain and moisture.

Recall being on BBI about mid may last year. Stupid me went for a wheeler ride, no face mask on my helmet. That adventure was terminated after one run up Rocky road,> Snow beach and back on the main road. Swarms- clouds... inside my helmet... PELTED.

Old lame joke (modified)
Q:"How do you tell a happy wheeler rider on BBI?"
A:" Count the number of bugs on his teeth"

Bad around here, too. I am not sure if the black flies or the deer flies get higher phyco tolerance ranking. Deerflies can get pretty annoying because they are so evasive and persistant... especially in numbers.

Want to be in northern Mi? Learn how to cope.

Just remembered another quick story. Might as well toss this black flie story in...

At least 35 years ago. I and two other guys, both from New Jersey, took the agawa canyon train to get off at some BFE mile post stop along the tracks, where two rivers merged. Memorial day. Trout fishing for 4 days. When the trout were biting, it was world class fishing IF YOU COULD TAKE THE BLACK FLIES.

We were unprepared lacking head nets, duct tape or any of that. Stepped off the train and knew we were in serious trouble as the train was rolling away. We didn't last 24 hours. We put up the tent... got inside and zipped it up, already bleeding from bites. These guys from New Jersey were in "major angst". Never had a "quality black fly" experiance.

They were so thick on the tent screen door, you could barely see out. Fortunately, we had a dozen or so R.G. DUNN cigars, big fat suckers, so we would torch one of those and blow it towards the door, just to nuke em a little bit.

We were outta there next morning first train. Each about a quart of blood short.

I have another Chigger (nosee-ems) story I'll save for another time. Those are bad news, too. Fortunately not that big of a problem in Michigan._________________Remember, half the people you know are below average.

I'm not compaining about the black flies, Kevin, I was issuing a warning. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was a whiner. I like bats, mice and snakes. Even the black flies have a reason for existing. I hear that as a larva? they like to live in water. they filter the water and help clean it.

Is it true that they spray Mackinac to get rid of the bugs or is that an old BBI tale?_________________mwhite@wildblue.net
"The more nature you keep, the more nature you'll enjoy." and "It's not who is right, but what is right."

I'm making my first trip of the year this weekend, actually tomorrow, I was going to ask if the balck flies were out yet, but you've already answered my question. Still, a trip to BBI with the black flies beats the everyday hustle.

I don't know about the spray anymore but they used to. I was just kidding by the way, I know that those little suckers can carry you away. Then after they leave than comes our favorate the moaqutoes that carry what? West NIles Maybe we should think about spraying. No that might kill thoes little carpenter aunts that eat on peoples houses. Of course they like logs the best. I can't believe how they get into the middle of the logs though and eat from the inside out._________________kevin gibbons

I use a diversion. Black flies love sweat. So I take my wife with me when she is having hot flashes. They all go to her and leave me alone.

It also helps to not wash for a long time. You ever notice how they really take after you after taking a bath. _________________mwhite@wildblue.net
"The more nature you keep, the more nature you'll enjoy." and "It's not who is right, but what is right."

When I moved to nevada ..the first summer there my mom in law had her yard all fun with the july 4th flags and the tables set up pretty with the plates and etc and I thought we are going to eat outside ?!!! Just remember I jusst came from alaska where the bugs ARE big big enough to carry ya away ... well to my surprise we got though the whole meal with out a bug bother ..

of couse there are bugs in nevada but diffrent not as many ..
I can say this since I moved off the island I have never had the problems with the bugs ... and as I said alaska has the big ones ..but they soon leave .. I have not used any bug juice since forever .. well it was the time I hiked up this beauitful mt in alaska and the sight was too pretty to explain .it was 8 miles in .. we made 3 trips in to get all our splys in .. on our back ..about 1980 .... I was wearing this old wood back pack .. but I passed the test .. !! I knew I was being tested ... to see how this alaskan gal could handle all the grap I was dished out .. i was having fun while doing it so I did not mind ..
opps off the subject and do not have time to respond to any other post right now ..
Stayed 4 nights and lost 6 lbs ..

The only bug Juice I buy now is for my Grandson .. its in small bottles diffrent flavors and he loves them .. !
by for now
its 80 here ,, grey out might rain ..

Hey Conis!
I got chiggers once after spending some time down here in Texas. I tried everything to get rid of them, but do you know what finally did the trick? I spent about 2 hours swimming in the water at the old Pines dock. Those little suckers could not stand the cold I guess!

The kerosene/bleach wipe would probably work better at repelling large animals and humans. Hey, only one more flipper and a tail fin and you wont need to use the Ferry any more!

Either way, what could be better then a mouth full of black flies and dust!

You will fit well on BBI. If I ever run into you at the bar, I'll buy you a couple shots of DEET, straight up on the rocks.

And Troy.... Welcome to the chiggers club. Black flies are "bush league" by comparison. I got them in Kentucky, on a camping trip on a resevoir. Mr. Dumb-Clueless Michigan kid, threw my shirt over some infested bushes along the bank to swim. I was sick for a month... systemic, swollen up. I think this is where I came up with the kerosene-clorox cure. Those little suckers are like black and deckers. Borough in and set up camp. See who dies first, them or their host. NASTY NASTY NASTY!_________________Remember, half the people you know are below average.

I was in bed reading and I seen it on the wall ..I yelled for my hubby and he came running ... He said keep your eye on it while I find something to blast it with .. He came back with a 2 by 4 and smashed it ...

That same year there were others that seen them too ... it was the big year for Scorpion I guess .. When I first moved there I was told to always look in my shoes before putting them on but I never did find anything interesting in my shoes the whole time ..

we moved later on to a rental home and the cable guy would not go under the house to the quest room to hook up cable because under the house was tons of black widow spidows .. he asked me if I wanted to know which web was a black widow and I said of course yes .. he put a tool on one web and it sparked !!! ..We never had one come in the house that I knew of ... I told the owner of the house and she wanted to spray for them and the homes she owned close by ... guess who home did not get sprayed ??? Mine !! ... I was scared of the poison of the spray .. I was sick then and about anything would make me sick ... so I suppose they all ran from the other homes to ours and our storage shed .... but never seen one in the house ... we moved not too long after that .
I loved spidows when I was growing up .on the island. there are alot of long legged grandaddys on the island .. and one time a spidow made a beautiful web in out kit window .. mom left it there a long while so all of us kids could enjoy it .We always put the spidows we found back outside ... Then the move to Nevada ..I killed any spidow in sight ..I hated too though ...
then I started thinking .. there must be bad spidows on the island ... is there ??? what kind of bad spidows are there in Michigan ????

Many years ago I was returning to Michigan From California on a motorcycle. The first day, I made it east of Reno. I was tired and it was cold so I pulled off the eway, and went up and over a sand dune... tossed my sleeping bag out on the ground and called it a night.

Next morning at first light. I was awakend by a Nevada State Trooper kicking me. He either saw my tire track up the dune or I was spotted by air.

Says: " You Dressed? (Yeah I still had my leathers on). "Move very slowly and do NOT put your hands in the sand" The trooper was wearing Jack Boots up past his knees. I didn't know if he was arresting me or ? Half asleep I did as instructed.

He kicked my sleeping bag 2-3 feet and hundreds of scorpions that were under it, scattered. He then made me check the inside of my bag, pockets, everything.

Golly Gee. Being from Michigan, I didn't know about scorpions and that they seeked warm places in the cold of night... under rocks, under sleeping bags.

I was one lucky dude. I think I made it to Nebraska that day. No scorpions there... I still think about this from time to time. On my top ten list of narrow escapes._________________Remember, half the people you know are below average.

You and I have met scorpions in the same way. My experience with them happened in Vietnam. The company had "hiked" hard and fast all day and into the night. Instead of the normal way of making a night defensive position, we instead stumbled off the trail and into a very rocky area and lay down in the rocks to sleep. Next thing I know it is dawn and people are yelling scorpions. I moved real slow and looked down the sides of my body and those scorpions were cuddled up to my sides like puppys cuddling up with their mother. These were black scorpions if I remember correctly. By moving very slowly I was able to stand up without getting stung. A few did threaten me by arching their stinger over their back, but I lucked out. A few others were not so lucky.

Here is another yucky way to repel black flies and people too. Don't waste your spray. Spray your cloths repeatedly. If your going out into the black flies later, save the cloths for then. Don't wash off the spray from your cloths or your body. Change the sheets more often. Wife will not bother you._________________mwhite@wildblue.net
"The more nature you keep, the more nature you'll enjoy." and "It's not who is right, but what is right."

Here is another yucky way to repel black flies and people too. Don't waste your spray. Spray your cloths repeatedly. If your going out into the black flies later, save the cloths for then. Don't wash off the spray from your cloths or your body. Change the sheets more often. Wife will not bother you.

No one will bother you!

Black flies seek odors like shampoo and deodorant. Just like radar. Wash your hair and go out into the black flies, YOU ARE DOOMED!

I have some of that "no fragerance deer hunters shampoo/soap" that has little or no smell and somehow masks human scent. Can't remember where I got it? probably Jays. Get it about anywhere.

I figured this out after years of fishing the Pigeon in clouds of flies. They still buzz around and are annoying but maybe 25% of potential. The rarely light or bite. I suppose I smell like an acorn or dirt pile or something?

I still know little about scorpions. Fatal or just deathly sick if bitten? I suppose it depends on species._________________Remember, half the people you know are below average.

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